God Eater: Fates Entwined

2 - Peas in a Pod

"Who are you?" He finally managed to ask, eyebrows knitted together in absolute confusion.

Instead, the little child ran up to him, arms clasping around his torso before he could even react. "Papa!" Further pushing him into a bewildered state, Soma could only place a hand over the child's head. A girl, no less, snuggling comfortably against him. Even with the lack of words from him, she looked up happily, blue eyes practically sparkling.

Wait... Papa?! He snapped back to his senses and the first thing he did was to untangle her limbs from his body. "What the fuck are you talking about?! What on earth are you even doing out here?!" She flashed him the red armlet snug around her right wrist. A God Eater? This young?! "How old are you?" He then asked.

"Twelve!" She beamed.

Well, he isn't one to talk. He himself had his first mission when he was on the same age. Once again defenseless, he had her pressed against him again. Soma didn't even bother struggling any longer—there are just times that it becomes pointless. He must have been fallen a little too long in silence, that she decided to ask, "Are we going home, Papa?"

Naturally, he scowled. "Look here, you little brat. I'll get something straight. I am not your father."

"It's okay! You can be!" The familiar voice made him snap up with teeth gritted in irritation. The hooded devil walked into the chamber casually, grinning like the mad one she is. "I mean, she does take some sort of resemblance, doesn't she?"

He is not in the mood to deal with this. "The old man would know what the hell we do with you. Come on."

And it was not any better in Director Sakaki's office. The reaction he received was a mixture of surprise and delight, leaving them speechless. "My name is Mayu, and this is my Papa!" Like a magnet, she stuck to him once again, and the three kids hid their sputtering laughter behind their hands. That big grin of hers certainly looked familiar, and the moment the memory clicked in his head, he pried the girl's arms off his waist with a grunting sound and sat back on the couch. In response to that treatment, she only laughed, turning towards the rest of the audience. "I was supposed to arrive in the Far East Branch on a transport chopper, but an Aragami attacked and..." Her smile dropped slightly, gaze lowering. "... and the pilot died on the crash."

"Didn't Soma say you are only twelve? Aren't you too young to be sent out?" Alisa asked in disbelief.

"Well, one can take the aptitude test as early as fourteen, but..." Paylor's gaze lingered at the hooded male seated on the far end of his office, shortly before it returned to the rest of the team. "... there had been cases of God Eaters being compatible with a God Arc as young as twelve, especially those with high compatibility. And, from her test results, her compatibility rate is off the charts."

Mayu grinned. "But I'm not really very best at what I do, so my commanding officer said it might be a good idea for me to get some training here in the Far East."

"B-But it's much more dangerous than you think!" Kota interrupted.

"Oh, come on!" C called out from the corner. "What's so bad about it? She can fight, so there isn't any problem, is there? Plus, Moon kin is going to be looking after her—"

"What?" The growl that came from where said person was seated was something not to be taken lightly. The wolf angrily bared its fangs at the devil. "I'm not going to be—"

Alisa clasped her hands together. "If that's the case, it's set then?" Blue eyes moved towards her teammates before she turned to the Director expectantly. They shared similar smiles on their faces. "We are quite short on people after all." Even with the dark-skinned God Eater's deadly glares now transferred on her, the Russian moved towards the smaller female and gently pat her head, "Welcome to the First Unit, Mayu."